July Meetings

Three meetings are planned for July all virtual via Zoom
Co-hosted by West Bay Woodturners & Silicon Valley Woodturners.

Wednesday, July 1, 7 pm
Show and Tell

Monday, July13, 7 pm
Program: Craig Timmerman from Austin, Texas
will demonstrate his advanced wing bowl
His website: www.armadillowoodworks.com

Wednesday, July 15, 7 pm
Sawdust Session

Check your email for Zoom log-on instructions.

Upcoming Events

July 10, 11, 12
AAW 2020 Virtual Symposium
AAW symposium information page
All for only $20.20
No travel cost...No hotel cost...No large entry fee
Last day to register is 7/7/2020

August 28-30
Southwest Association of Woodturners
SWAT main page
CANCELLED

September 18-20
Rocky Mountain Woodturning Symposium
Rocky Mountain main page

Show & Tell - Wednesday June 3

This virtual Zoom meeting was co-hosted by WBW & SVW and moderated by Greg Peck.

See photos of the turnings shown.

Program - Monday June 8
Jon Sauer - Ornamental turning & shop tour

This demonstrated the advantage of a virtual meeting. We could not have fit all of us into Jon's shop for a demo. But there we were, looking at his beautiful machines and watching him turn sample roses.
Jon started with a slide show with images of award winning pieces and photos of his machinery. Shortly we were acutually in his shop. He explained the way each machine operates to create the ornamental imagery. These machines are complicated and being there (virtually) with Jon pointing to the parts and showing us how they move made it almost understandable. Thank you, Jon. Many of us are grateful that you finally explained 'what is ornamental turning?' and 'how does a rose engine work?'.

See photos of the program

Sawdust session - Wednesday June 17

This virtual Zoom meeting was co-hosted by WBW & SVW and moderated by Mike Lanahan.

Photos of the sawdust session.

The President's Message from Tom Gaston

Greetings. I hope all of you are safe and well. It looks like we will not be able in person for at least several months, so I encourage to attend the virtual meetings via the Zoom platform (if you haven't already). We have had excellent presentations by Bob Bley and Jon Sauer, and the meetings continue to get better and better. If you need help linking in with Zoom, feel free to email or call for help setting up your computer or smart phone.

We are looking for a program director as Bob Hedges is stepping down. Thank you Bob for your past work. This could be a shared position.

Continue turning and send pictures of your work for show and tell, or the news letter. Try some new techniques as this is a good time to learn more. W ood turning is a perfect shelter in place activity.

Happy turning!

Tom

"As the Wood Turns" - by Dave Vannier

Those of you attended the last meeting via zoom were educated and entertained by Jon Sauer and his ornamental work. As one of the worlds best, his skill in his pieces shows through. Jon not only gave us a bit of history, but also did a little turning. Every time I see him do this, my brain hurts trying to follow how you plan out the patterns. For a while, I seriously considered wanting to try my hand at it. But, after cleaning the shop I found I really enjoyed my woodworking more when I didn’t have to move things to do anything. Was hard parting with stuff, but I’m much happier now. I also think I’m exploring so many directions right now, I really don’t have the time to try it. So, sigh, I had to pass. But, if you have that passion, Jon has a connection on some local equipment that is available.

This has been a month of two steps forward, one step back. These seem to come often for me. Tried to salvage some pear, was a waste of time. I really like how the pear turns, finishes, holds detail, burns, colors, etc. but boy what an unstable wood it has been. The three pieces had bad cracks. I turned then, set them aside to fill the next day. But when I next looked there was just nothing there.

Next, I spent a couple weeks working on a segmented piece. Always wondered what a 3D effect would have on a turning. Then, someone on FB did one. So, of course I had to try it. In the end, I’d have to question doing it again. The inside is cool, but the outside, ehh. So is it a player, a user, a high side bowl...no.

Every now and then the wood tells me what it wants to be in it’s second life. This time, it was a piece of buckeye burl. Sadly, the wood was pretty punky. Natural edge , beautiful colors. I used almost a full can of wood hardener on it. Wondering if I should waste time and money on yet another piece I would just throw away. But like always, I can’t resist. In the end, I’m fairly happy, which is what matters, imho. I put a coat of fish on it today, then bolted for air conditioning. When it gets up to 85 in the shop, it is just too hot! Great finish weather, but tough to work on.

Stay safe, and hope for a hair cut soon!

Dave
www.daves-turned-art.com

Sawdust or Digital Dust - the Virtual Question
Mike Lanahan on Virtual Sawdust Sessions

Virtual Sawdust Sessions

Due to the COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place rules, in person Sawdust Sessions are, at the very least, unwise. Being unwilling to abandon the practice of kibitzing with fellow club members about woodturning topics, we have continued to hold the meetings, virtually, using Zoom meeting software, from the comforts of our individual bunkers.

For those unfamiliar with Sawdust Sessions, we have to confess that it is a misleading name, a misnomer, an oxymoron, as there is seldom if ever any sawdust created or harmed during these gatherings. Participants come to share recent turnings, tools or techniques, to ask questions about difficulties experienced. It is a much more interactive experience than Show n Tell at monthly meetings. We often share our problem pieces or mistakes, asking for helpful suggestions, if not sympathy. There may be constructive comments offered related to a turning being shown. The discussion topic may take unexpected twists and turns at the whim of the group. Occasionally there is a theme to a meeting, in addition to whatever each individual would like to discuss.

Typically these meetings have been relatively small compared to our monthly meetings. I hold a meeting 2 weeks after the SVW monthly meeting, on the 3rd Wed. of the month, and have restarted the meetings using Zoom. With an e-meeting we don’t get to pass each piece around the room, touch, feel, smell and taste each piece. OK that taste thing was only once. The online meetings are not, dare I say, as intimate as physically meetings.

But there are some unexpected/unintended benefits from the online meetings:
1. We require high quality photos in advance of the meeting. Everyone sees the same image as it is being discussed. Working from prescreened photos avoids the time involved with each individual trying to stage a turning, and insures it is well lighted, no unstable video camera, and in focus (mostly).
2. Often there are sequential photos showing the process a turning went through, which is much better at explaining what happened than a mere verbal description.
3. The commute is fantastic. No night driving and the time involved is minuscule. As a result we have some people attending that were previously dissuaded, and it’s now more people than I can seat in my living room.
4. The Zoom meetings can be recorded, and a pdf of the slide show could be made for later enjoyment by anyone that could not attend.
5. You are in the comfort of your own home, you can sit in your favorite chair/couch/bed/floor, and can leave the meeting or rejoin at will.
6. Your beverage choice is not limited to regular or decaf.

Using Zoom is not so much difficult as different. It’s not that hard to get it going after you get the hang of it. It would be nice if it had the same look, feel and features on different platforms (PC, Mac, iOS and Android devices). We have had enough meetings using Zoom that most people are getting the hang of it. As a result, we are dedicating less time before the meeting start time to hand-hold new Zoom users.

Online meetings are not a panacea, but my crystal ball doesn’t foresee large live meetings in the near future. Until it is safe (our demographic is the most vulnerable) this is a way to stay connected and share our woodturning passion in-place. If you have not attended a sawdust session, dip your toes in the water and come on in, the water’s fine.

Stay safe,
Mike

2020 WBW board members and committee chairs

President: Tom Gaston
Vice President: Bob Bley
Treasurer:  Jon Bishop
Secretary:  Roman Chernikov
Member at Large: Claude Godcharles
Meeting Program Coordinator: TBD
Visiting artist Coordinator:  Bob Bley
Anchor seal:  Dennis Lillis
CA Glue:  Tom Kenyon
Craft Supply:  Richard Winslow
Coffee & Cookies:  Phil Feiner
Librarian: Kelly Smith
Audio Visual: Curtis Vose
Website & Newsletter:  Tom Haines

click here for contact information on the above

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated.